1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a circuit interrupting device, and more particularly to a fuse link and a method of manufacturing same by pocket indentation.
2. Description of the prior Art
Prior to the present invention, it has been customary to manufacture fuse links by attaching a fusible element and, where necessary, a strain wire to a rather massive electrically conducting connector, or lower terminal, and thereafter attaching the lower terminal by crimping, brazing, soldering, welding or the like to an electrically multistrand cable. Both of these attaching operations have been performed by providing the lower terminal with holes in opposite ends thereof. The fusible element and strain wire are inserted into one hole and the multi-strand cable is inserted into the other hole and both ends of the connector are thereafter crimped, brazed, soldered or welded. Such fuse links additionally include an upper terminal attached to the fusible element and strain wire, with the upper terminal being suitably adapted for engagement with the end of a fuse tube with which the fuse link is to be used. Prior art manufacturing techniques significantly contribute to the cost of fuse links so produced due to the material cost of the lower terminal and the labor cost associated with its incorporation into the fuse link.
Possibly in order to reduce such production costs, at least one company has manufactured a fuse assembly without the above-mentioned connector or lower terminal. Such fuse assembly, as will be more fully discussed hereinafter, has limitations associated therewith since its method of manufacturing apparently utilizes localized welding, soldering, or brazing techniques to attach both the fusible element and strain wire at one end to the multi-strand cable and at the other end to the upper terminal. Further, this method of manufacture does not readily lend itself to mass production.
In addition to the prior art fuse links and methods of manufacture thereof, as previously discussed, other examples of fuse links may be found in the following United States patents: Nos. 1,833,849, issued to Nichols; 2,090,609, issued to Lemmon, 2,269,960, issued to Triplett; 2,270,225, issued to Steinmayer; 2,292,058, issued to Craig; 2,325,416, issued to McMahon; 2,335,229, issued to Anderson; 2,341,865, issued to Herman; 2,382,602, issued to Brown; 2,586,171, issued to McMahon; 2,705,471, issued to McBride; 3,059,081, issued to Gainer, et al.; 3,118,992, issued to Chabala; 3,152,236, issued to Schultz; 3,275,772, issued to Neff; and 3,471,816, issued to Giegerich.